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NEWS: Use of VR in architecture to explode in 2018, according to report

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Published: 22 December 2017

Over two thirds of 5,700 architecture professionals surveyed by Chaos Group plan to use VR in 2018

Over two-thirds of architecture and architectural visualisation professionals plan to use Virtual Reality VR in 2018, according to a new report from design visualisation software specialist Chaos Group. 28% already are using VR, with another 28% currently experimenting.

The free report features insights from 5,769 industry professionals from over 70 countries and looks at how technology trends like VR, cloud rendering and an increased need for 3D visuals are affecting architects and visualization teams in 2017.

The report also found that large architecture firms (classified as companies with over 100 architects) have embraced VR at a much higher rate than smaller firms and freelancers. 62% of large firms are currently using VR, and more than half of those have already used VR on five or more projects.

On to cloud rendering and the report found that currently, the majority of the rendering workflow remains in-house, though 34% of participants currently use external render farms and cloud services to complete their projects. While security is a discussion point for firms, it is not perceived as a barrier for cloud rendering adoption at this point. Cost is. Based on industry trends and more cloud companies entering the marketplace, Chaos Group projects that prices will fall in upcoming years, opening up more avenues for cost-conscious firms.

In general, most AEC cloud rendering applications are currently being budgeted on a per project basis. A third, however, consist of the unplanned, ad-hoc usage that often coincides with rush orders and/or hardware limitations. For considering firms, the increased speed and the ability to do more iterations on a project are the most appealing aspects of cloud rendering.